The Smith River Experience
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The Smith River
The Smith originates high in the Castle Mountains of central Montana and flows north between the Little Belt and Big Belt ranges, gathering water from half a dozen tributaries which then flows into the Missouri River about 10 miles upstream of Great Falls.
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The Float Trip
The 60-mile float trip begins north of White Sulphur Springs at Camp Baker. The next public access site is five days away at the Eden Bridge take-out. This unique inaccessibility allows Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to greatly regulate the use of the river.
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The Journey
Along the journey, the few big ranches and summer cabins are quickly forgotten as the remote wilderness surroundings prevail. The river drops over 1000 feet in elevation over the 60-mile stretch, creating as wide a variety of trout habitat as one can imagine.
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We provide all the flies, tippet and know how you need to catch fish and have a great time. Insects here are as diverse as the river itself.
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The character of the river is incredibly varied; including wide riffles and pools, shallow flats, deep under-cut cliff walls and quiet backwaters.
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The Smith is a natural freestone river where wild Rainbow and Brown trout thrive, eating everything from tiny mayflies to monster stone flies.
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While the trout fishing is some of the finest to be found, it’s the atmosphere and rugged beauty of the Smith River corridor that keeps people coming back year after year.
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When anglers arrive in camp, spacious double occupancy tents are already pitched, and their choice of beverage awaits them before dinner.
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Campfires, custom camping and camaraderie, the view of the Milky Way on a summer's evening - it all adds up to an unforgettable experience.
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Our guests float-fish two anglers per raft or drift boat with personable, passionate guides who know the river well. Our rafts are equipped with custom fishing frames and comfortable seats.
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We provide fresh produce, lean meat, paired wines, and have as much fun with the menu as is practical on the river. We will even show you a little Dutch oven cooking, part of our river trip tradition.
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Everything from the smallest Trico mayfly to the great "salmon fly" stonefly thrives throughout the river system.
Not Just Great Fishing
The first hint of the Smith's canyon appears as very small headwalls. Meadows give way to steeper slopes and long benches. The headwalls then begin to grow higher, more frequent, until the river winds into a "half canyon" with towering sculptured limestone cliffs on one side and gently sloping meadows on the other.
Wildlife is abundant throughout the river corridor. Nesting waterfowl patrol the banks of the river as migratory songbirds search the bushes and the sky for an unsuspecting stonefly. A mid-day hike in the foothills may be rewarded with the treasure of a "shed" elk or deer antler.
Grizzly bears are rumored to roam the nearby mountain ranges, but have never been seen in the river corridor. However, a sighting of a Black Bear in its blond color phase may have you second guessing. The last day of the journey leaves the canyon behind and gives way to the beautiful central Montana prairie.
Ready to go?
